There tends to be something a little odd about the world's smallest countries. The Vatican City, Papal playground and spiritual center of Catholicism, doesn't in fact have any permanent residents. Monaco, a parking lot for sports cars and limousines on the French Riviera, is a tax haven and gamblers paradise. And turn the wrong way down a street in Lichtenstein in the Alps, and you'll have left this tiny country without even knowing it.

But, the latest graduate to the world of miniature statehood, the "Islamic Republic of Qaim,"  is unlikely to be on the geopolitical radar for very long. The Washington Post reports today that a band of militants loyal to America's most-wanted man, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi last week occupied the Iraqi border town of Qaim, and proclaimed it an Islamic republic.

The town, population 30,000, lies 2 miles from the Syrian border, and is now bustling with Islamic fighters, who have begun executing "collaborators" and punishing residents for anti-Islamic practices (e.g. drinking alcohol). The report details an array of horrific acts committed by the militants and foresees a major showdown with allied forces in the coming days. Families have begun fleeing the violence in expectation of a major military assault on the town.

A sign posted near the entrance to the town reads simply, "Welcome to the Islamic Republic of Qaim." Don't expect it to be still hanging there by the end of the week, though.

Bush Wastes No Time on Supreme Court Nomination

It looks like the avalanche of criticism directed at his handling of Hurricane Katrina got US President George W. Bush's attention. Whereas he may not have reacted quickly enough to one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the United States, he has reacted lightening quick to the passing away of Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. Eighty-year-old Rehnquist died on Saturday,  and now, just two days later, Bush has already found someone to replace him  at the helm of the court. As the New York Times had speculated on Sunday, Bush on Monday shifted his nomination of John Roberts -- originally tagged to replace a retiring Sandra Day O'Connor -- to the chief justice position. While some are unsure  if Roberts is fit for the job, many are sure to welcome the appointment. After all, so the argument goes, Roberts is skeptical of judicial activism and respectful of precedent.  Now, it's up to the US Senate.

A Video Message from the Terrorist's Grave

"Until we feel security, you will be our targets," said the 30-year-old Mohammed Sidique Khan in a video message broadcast by the Arab TV station al-Jazeera and shown here by the BBC . "Until you stop the bombing, gassing, imprisonment and torture of my people we will not stop this fight. We are at war and I am a soldier. Now you too will taste the reality of this situation."

Kahn justified the attacks on the British public by saying that they had democratically elected, and therefore support, a government which carries out "atrocities" on his "people." In this way, he said, the British have made themselves fair targets.